


I, the darkness of space that surrounds you. You, my brightest star.

by Left_Handed_Rick



Category: Rick and Morty
Genre: Asexual Character, M/M, Masquerade, Platonic Relationships, Romantic Fluff, art and a fic!, morty wears a princess dress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-28
Updated: 2017-11-28
Packaged: 2019-02-07 22:08:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12850500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Left_Handed_Rick/pseuds/Left_Handed_Rick
Summary: Pan Rick and Ace Morty continue the conversation of Morty's rejection while dancing at a masquerade.





	I, the darkness of space that surrounds you. You, my brightest star.

**Author's Note:**

> The point of the story is that it does not really matter why morty rejected his feelings, just that Rick accepts the rejection.

From the corner of his eye, Rick briefly caught a glimpse of Morty. He had hidden himself behind a pillar, and was longingly watching the dancers swirl across the the room before him. He nervously tugged at the hem of his ballgown. **  
**

A stranger wearing a raven’s mask approached Morty. They offered a bow, then the upward facing hand of invitation. Morty briefly contemplated the offer, before deeply blushing. He politely held his hand up in refusal. They chatted and laughed for a moment before the stranger moved on with another bow and wave. Morty sank into the pillar giving it a slight hug looking regretful.  

Rick abandoned the conversation he had been engaged in, and made his way around the edge of the ballroom towards Morty with a frown. For weeks, Morty had enthusiastically counted down the days to this very night: The Annual Masquerade of Z-35b. Rick wasn’t about to let him bail and watch it from the sidelines.

When they arrived at the event, Rick used some sleight of hand and a touch of science to play into Morty’s love of magic and fairy tale, transforming his yellow shirt and blue pants into the captivating ball gown he now wore. Rick had made certain that Morty was going to look stunning tonight, because this was his adventure. Rick wanted him to feel like the royalty he had been imagining for weeks on-end.

Rick sighed, as he closed the space between Morty and himself. In hindsight, maybe the dress had caught too much attention. Morty looked overwhelmingly nervous to the point of tears.

“Hey you. You little wallflower. Nerves fucked you up again?”

Morty’s eyes wistfully followed the dancers a few more moments before turning to Rick. 

“Y-Yeah, even with all of this…I-I’m still me, I guess.”

Rick chuckled aloud before taking Morty’s gloved hand and leading him into the center of the ballroom. Rick knew Morty would always follow him. 

“C’mon you little shit. It’s your night, I’m not going to let you sit this one out.”

 

Rick opened the dance with a bow, bringing Morty’s hand to press against his lips. Morty blushed, avoiding Rick’s eyes, but responded with the formal curtsey of acceptance. Rick took the lead, nesting his hand on the small of Morty’s back, and bringing his side flush against the other’s slender frame. Morty nervously laced their fingers together, softly counting the tempo of the dance under his breath.   

Rick smirked as Morty followed his footwork effortlessly. He was impressed. It seemed that Morty’s endless nights of practice had paid off. Rick watched the candlelight dance across Morty’s features as they spun around each other in time, indulging in his captivation of everything that Morty was to him. 

In a brief moment of confidence brought on by successfully dancing through the first song. Morty raised his face towards Rick’s wth a smile. His eyes fell into Ricks gaze, and quickly turned away, nervousness returning as the second song, began. 

Morty rest his head against Rick with a slight sense of relief as a slow song began to take form. He had been avoiding Rick’s far too intense gaze for a few weeks now. Morty hesitated before softly speaking. 

“Rick, I -”

“I know. You’re worried about dancing with me like this. Don’t.”

Rick easily read Morty’s nerves. A slight frown formed. They continued to dance around the unspoken for a few moments before Rick interrupted the silence, carefully choosing his next words.” 

“Morty, I don’t regret it…But this…”

“This is why I was afraid to have that conversation with you.”

Rick pressed Morty further into his chest.  He did not want Morty to be able to view his face, even as it was already partially obscured by a mask.  

“I treated you as an adult when you asked about my feelings for you. I didn’t hide behind the usual brand of nihilistic sarcasm. I was honest with you - about a very serious topic. A topic, that I choose to trust you to have a conversation with me about by honestly answering in the first place.”

Morty attempted to respond, but Rick only held Morty tighter and continued, frustration growing in his voice as they slowly paced around the room.

“And because of that one moment. You think that all I want… That I just want to…That I’m irrationally in l-” 

Rick caught himself on the word, pausing with a deep breath. His feet stopped. He gently pushed Morty to an arms length so they could face each other. The room continued to move around them uninterrupted by their pause.   

“Look. Morty. I’m not some lovesick kid who can’t accept unrequited feelings and move on. The categorizations of love are diverse as any other human experience. I would have enjoyed the chance to experience one kind with you. But I guess our timeline is of another.”

Rick cradled Morty’s gloved hand within his own. With his other, he tilted Morty’s chin upward searching for eye contact.   

 “And Morty…That’s okay.”

Rick held Morty’s gaze until the rest of the night faded into the background. 

“For whatever we want it to mean, Ricks and Mortys are the axiom. The single fixed point in the multiverse. And that bond is stronger than whatever bullshit boners we might - or might not get. I’m not going to hold my unrequited feelings against you. I’m not going to try to change your mind. And I’m not going to be the proverbial “nice guy in the friendzone, who is always secretly wanting more.”  

Rick released his hold on Morty’s chin. Morty’s gaze did not retreat as expected. Instead Morty offered a slight smile and a nod. Rick extended his hand in invitation, which Morty took, They began to dance one more, sharing the eye contact that had earlier been reserved. Rick allowed himself a chaste but affectionate kiss on morty’s forehead as their dance picked up momentum. 

“I want this. Just as we are now. I, the space, and You, the stars. Dancing together through the endless expanse of the cosmos.


End file.
